If ever there were a barometer of the resurgence and boom of classic shaving, these past couple of weeks have been it. The Observer, Men’s Journal, and even women’s health site Organic Authority have published articles about the many benefits of wet shaving. Men get an ultra close face shave, while women are able to get smoother legs with more time in between shaves.

On the topic of body grooming, Fashionbeans offers advice on different methods of hair removal on the rest of your body. Whether you wax or shave, it’s important to look like you’ve put in some effort.

Jon Wogoman of The Bald Nation also stopped by this past month to teach readers how to do a complete head shave using a safety razor. If you’ve already mastered the face shave, this is a challenge that will take your skills to the next level.

And finally, we put together a comprehensive Father’s Day gift guide with items that are nowhere close to the fallback tie. Since every dad is different, we broke down the gift guide into personality types for that personal touch.

Enjoy!

Safety razors aren’t just for men. In this article, the writer makes an argument for women to use safety razors to shave legs. (Organic Authority)

Geo. F. Trumper began as a barber and perfumer in London during the Victorian era of the late 19th century, when the gentleman ruled supreme. Mr. George Trumper founded his shop in 1875 at 9 Curzon Street, where it is still located today. Catering to the quintessential English gentleman, the company sold wares consisting of cufflinks, walking sticks, perfumes, and razors – all things which can be found when visiting the store to this day.

One of Geo. F. Trumper’s specialties from the beginning was perfumes, which were commissioned by and named after the nobility. Today, Geo. F. Trumper continues to fabricate perfumes, some even still named after those original noblemen (such as their famous Wellington).

Tradition, without a doubt, runs deep within the going ons at Geo. F. Trumper. The family-run business can be traced back to George Trumper. Their lime-based aftershaves are still wrapped in pink paper, an homage to the British war effort during the second world war. (During this time, all other colors had been required by the military to be used in the war effort.)

The interior of the store also remains as it was when founded. You’ll find the same mahogany display cubicle and glass cabinets installed during the shop’s opening in 1875. And you can get yourself a classic shave in a private velvet-curtained room, where during the Victorian era, men of all classes would go for a regal shave.

Geo. F. Trumper later opened their second location, dubbed “The St. James Shop,” on Duke of York Street in London.

Keeping Tradition Alive

Though Geo. F. Trumper is strongly committed to tradition, the company has not failed to stay relevant to the current age. Maintaining their signature level of luxury and style, Geo. F. Trumper has made the move to selling online, bringing their long-held traditions to the rest of the world.

Their shops offer the best of what any gentleman could desire and remain one of the few of their kind to still offer professional barber services, including hair cutting, hair tinting, mustache and beard trimming, shaving, and manicure and pedicure services. All these services are performed on location and in the privacy of a curtained cubicle. When in London, a visit to Geo. F. Trumper is a must for any true gentleman.

If you’re a wet shaver, you’ve probably been indoctrinated in the three Ts of traditional wet shaving: Taylor of Old Bond Street, Trumper, and Truefitt & Hill. All three brands are based in Britain and are even located in the same shopping district. Preserving the nostalgic elements of wet shaving, these brands are considered to be the best in the world.

At RoyalShave we understand that one of the wonderful things about practicing wet shaving is that it links us with a rich historical past. It’s a legacy that we carry on every time we start whipping up a lather, or put a razor to our face. As such, today we will be taking you back in time to the rise of the standard-bearing Truefitt & Hill, recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the Oldest Barbershop in the World.

Check back for our next wet shaving history lesson soon!

The Beginning

Up until the early 1800s, British men and women wore powdered wigs. Grooming regimens focused on making these wigs look lavish, a feat usually accomplished at the barbershop. But by about the beginning of the 19th century, barbershops began offering more options for pomades and hair products, allowing the vogue to sway on the side of natural, shorter hair.

In 1805 William Francis Truefitt opened one of the first barbershops in London, quickly becoming known as an exceptional barber who helped Britain’s gentry look equally regal for society events as for everyday. Soon Truefitt received the highly revered Royal Warrant to His Majesty, King George III, becoming the Court Hair Cutter, Court Hair Dresser, and Wigmaker.

An Esteemed Clientale

In additional to serving the Royal Family, Truefitt boasted as his clientele some of the most notable figures of the time – according to the Truefitt & Hill website, “glancing at Truefitt’s appointment books is like reading entries from a ‘Who’s Who’ of distinguished society and names of those who shaped the history of the world…”

Among these famous patrons was Sir Winston Churchill and William Gladstone, the Duke of Wellington, as well as entertainment figures like Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, and Fred Astaire.

In 1935 Truefitt acquired the hairdressing business of Edwin S. Hill & Co., moving into Edwin Hill’s old space at 23 Old Bond Street and becoming the Truefitt & Hill we know today.

Long-Running Royal Ties

Since the brand’s inception, it has served the Monarchs of Great Britain for nine consecutive reigns, and to this day Truefitt’s barbers visit the Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle to attend to the Royal Family.